Hell yeah! Came…read morehere on a Friday night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Street parking was a little difficult to find but not impossible. There was a cover charge (~$12) and drinks weren't cheap but reasonably priced. There are two floors and each floor has its own dance floor.. they played a lot of alternative 80/90s. Small smoking patio in the front and clean bathrooms. We had a blast! HBD Andrew!

I'll start by saying, this place isn't fancy at all, and there are a few blemishes but does that…read morematter? Absolutely not! This place is amazing and has a great vibe! Inka One has been running BoomBox LA for about 18 years, and Grand Star Jazz Club is fortunate to host this iconic hip hop event that has been around for nearly two decades. You can catch legendary DJs like the Beat Junkies, Shortkut, 9th Wonder, Lord Finesse, House Shoes, DJ Revolution, and many more every first Saturday of the month. Drinks are served on both the first and second floors, each offering different music and vibes. The drinks are a bit light, which is perfect for me since I'm a lightweight. They don't serve food, but there are some great late-night spots nearby, like Hollywood Thai or Bossa Nova. If you're looking for a place to relax, listen to good music without distractions, and just vibe out, Grand Star hosts one of the coolest events in their venue. OOOO 4 out of 5 Afros

Have come here twice for Mahjong nights (hosted on Mondays), both times have been such a wonderful…read moreexperience! My friend surprised me and bought me a birthday shot last night, it was really good! He said he ordered us green tea shots! Very flavorful, sweet, and kinda strong too (but maybe that's because we were both running on lowk empty stomachs haha). They also always have water dispensers stationed on both floors :) The security guard (bouncer?) is friendly, always offering greetings as you enter and leave There's plenty of restroom stalls (two private ones downstairs, a larger one with a BEAUTIFUL fountain sink & full body mirror upstairs) Vibes are immaculate! Low lighting, background music, plenty of seating Highly recommend!

A bar with plenty of standing space, if you're looking for a place to sit in the bar good luck…read more They serve a wide variety of alcohol, drinks my friends were unable to get at other bars they were able to make here. The only downside of this bar was the dj we had of the night. There was plenty of people on the dance floor, but the music wasn't the greatest, it just sounded like random sounds than actual sounds. The bartenders were friendly and they had several bouncers around the bar and at the front entrance. The bouncer at the front the night we came was welcoming and friendly.

I've been to this bar a couple of times, and it's definitely a great date night spot! The drinks…read moreare really good, and the service has always been great and surprisingly fast, even when the place is super busy. They also have a great selection of arcade games, which makes it a fun place to hang out, grab some drinks, and do something different. The vibe is really cool, lively, and fun without feeling too overwhelming. It can definitely get crowded, but the atmosphere, drinks, games, and good service make it worth it. I definitely recommend checking it out, especially for a fun date night!

Walked in on a Friday evening around 8:30-9. There was no line to get in and the place didn't seem…read morecrowded. My husband and I walked around before we decided to grab a drink at the bar. I had already drank at some breweries before we came here so I didn't want any more mixed drinks. I got a canned drink, I don't remember the name We had some coins and started to play. A couple of the machines took our coins but the games never started which was a bummer but we just moved on. We later saw people playing on them so it was probably something we did wrong. The place was a good vibe with a do playing music. We spent about an hour before we decided to check another place out. My husband and I had a lot of fun. Good way to reminisce when we were young kids playing these games.

This was the last stop in a night where Conrad and I stepped out to LA to have a good time. So by…read morethe time I got there I was tipsy. I was not falling down the stairs, nor was I slurring my words, nor was I misaligning my pool shots, but I was definetely feeling the good inside my blood. I note this, not to highlight my cool factor as if I was a frat bro in a Florida party school, but more to describe how my experience was fogged by my consumption. This place was definetely a hot spot to hit, but I just will not be able to descrbie everything with speicifc detail, more, broad strokes of a good time. The place is reached by going down a flight of stairs, which feels like one is going to catch the J line in New York. I think I felt this more because of the Spring St sign- a famous stop in NY, NY. As soon, I got there, the goal was to continue the good time and this place allowed that at a reasonable price. They had these can drinks that I really responded and they were only 7 dollars. Ok, I know that saying something is only 7 dollars in this economy can seem out of touch. But a drink in LA most of the time will run you at least 12 to 16 dollars, and I think it is mostly on the 16 side. So finding a 7 dollar drink in a hot spot is refreshing. It was a Suncruiser- a vodka spirit based drink- that was part of their specials for their night. maybe is more expensive on other nights when it is not on special? After the drink Conrand and I stepped into their floor. It was the first time we were there and it is basically a basement game room on whatever it is that Bane takes to make himself go from puny human to muscle-on-muscle-on-muscle villain. There is a lot of pool tables maybe like 5, and I saw ping pong, and other table games. Additionally, instead of a speaker or a recorder- the one's that spin old timey records- there was a band. I took a short video of the band but I could not tell you if this band was good or bad or their name or their style of music. I was partly present, and I just heard the music, I did not appreciate the performers. It happens. So Conrad and I play all the time together. And I saw a guy playing by himself. We quickly introduced oursevles and then we played pool. Here is the thing that I am happy to write about this place. Unline a regular bar with a pool table, where every one knows your name, this place had the opportunity to meet new people. And I enjoyed playing with this guy. He was a new challenge. He had fresh stories. And he offered a view of the world I enjoyed. So this place offers the opportunity to meet new people over a game of pool. If pool is your thing than this place will make you happy an if pool is your way of meeting new folks then this place will make you happy and give you opportunities to find the folks you imagine you need in your life. In the final analysis, I want to go here again, and experience the place more broadly. Not sure if I will write a new Yelp, because even though I bared bone this one, it still gives the primary messages I want to. And to the guy who I played with thanks for having a good time with me, even if it was short. And sometimes, short, can be just enough.

Band AMAZING Drinks Good…read morePo boy 2/10 I was given my poboy on stale/hard bread. As a cook, how did you not take enough pride into what you're serving people to not notice? After picking thru it because I was hungry, I spoke to an manager and he just seemed as if I was not being honest, so I pulled the broken bread pieces out to show him; and he didn't offer anything in return. I won't be back.

Great place for a show. Really small/intimate and sound is good. There staff was good, things were…read morerun well. They have Grand Old Echo on Sundays for the season, billing it as country but the bands we saw were Americana, yay. Very clean place and clean bathrooms. The complaint is that we came too early-- it wasn't clear the music doesn't start till 6:30 and had no idea there were 3 bands before the advertised headliner. Still we enjoyed it all and there's a stage out on the tiny back patio for a band where ppl continued to hang. Canned beer, some liquor for drinks, soft drinks, some food like hot dog, pretzels, popcorn. If you go early, you might snag one of the comfy benches along the walls.

I don't know much about LA and I was somewhat worried if The Echo would be located in a good part…read moreof town. To my pleasant surprise, The Echo was located in an area that felt like a small town. It was bustling with concert goers who seem to be conscious of everyone's happiness and safety. The feeling of community was strong. The venue was small but comfortable. The staff were helpful. Venue doesn't have a full bar so don't expect to order specialty cocktails. Paid $500+ for this particular concert.

Dope ass venue with clean floors, good stage view and an awesome crowd. The lights were pretty cool…read moretoo. If you want a better view and less crowd, there's a second floor that you can check out. First time coming to this place and we got to see Isaiah Rashad! It was my gf first time going to a rap concert, so we had to pull up to support one of my favorite upcoming artist! The whole night was lit! How the place is set up is pretty organized. The only thing that sucked was finding parking, but getting parking in LA sucks. You do what you gotta do though lol. When we got in, we immediately went to the merch shop to get a shirt and then walk over to the bar which was on the other side. We both ordered a tequila sunrise and it was pretty strong. The bartender lady poured it fat, lol.

This venue is located on the outskirts of DTLA, hop and a skip and a jump away. Took the bus…read morestraight there from Whittier, no stopping and landed, down the hill from the Bellwether. It was a very short walk and this whole trip was cheap and convenient. I paid the extra fee for The Looking Glass lounge because I hate lines, crowds and no seating. When I got to the location, there were two lines, one for the aforementioned lounge and one for general admission. I was immediately allowed in with a minor bag search and climbed up some stairs that landed me outside the lounge. It was air conditioned, there were plenty of seats and I absolutely loved the charcuterie boards that were set out. There was soda water, water and alcohol available. The charcuterie boards had a variety of cheeses, cookies, crackers, veggies and overall was a 5 out of 5. Bartender was a bit unfriendly considering the price paid for entry and what I mean by that unwilling to explain what was included in regards to drinks in the Looking Glass Price. Overall, I found the other staff to be very accommodating. The Looking Glass Lounge has its own bathrooms, and they're gender neutral. There were two stalls available. It was generally clean. When I bought the ticket for the lounge, it stated there would be a second merch table available specifically for people who paid extra, that was not true so I had to go back to the general admission area and find the merch table. Luckily, the line was very short when I realized what was going on. This venue is disabled friendly in that there is an elevator, wide walkways and a special roped off area for people with disabilities. The bathrooms were also disabilities friendly. I attended to see The Violent Femmes on Friday, July, 31. The weather in Los Angeles was scorching hot. The lounge itself was cool. But the interior area, where the band played was hell. Not sure if their air conditioning wasn't working, if the outside heat combined with the amount of bodies made it impossible to cool down the place but it was dangerously hot inside. There is no excuse for this huge oversight. It is absolutely inexcusable. If you're going to attend this venue during the summer, come dressed appropriately. And in this case, it would have been appropriate to wear a bikini top and shorts. Because it was so hot, I had a bathing suit top and coverup and I was still hot. Add to that and beyond my comprehension, the venue was blowing out air with incense. Where is the logic in that move. For those of us with allergies, it was a major nightmare. Is The Looking Glass Lounge worth it? Depends on who you are as an individual. I'm picky so, yes, any rest from the heat allowed me to continue enjoying the show rather than packing it up and going home. In regard to the quality of sound and view. This is a 5 out of 5! It was a great view. I'm short so if I had only paid for general admission, there is no way I would have been able to handle the crowds. The Looking Glass Lounge price allowed me to get one of the best views in the house. The Violent Femmes were spectacular (they always are) and the sound system was on point. Keep in mind the extra money was paying for less crowds. You could get the same view on the opposite side without paying BUT you would be unable to leave your spot without losing it. Now in regard to behavior. There was no assigned seating. It was survival of the fittest, in a way. Some people were acting very territorial. It was strange. In one instance, there was a pretty, younger woman standing next to me. Minding her own business, not bothering anyone. All of a sudden, I felt someone touch my bottom, I was like oh oh. Only to turn around and see a drunk, elderly, blond lady. Once I realized that it was simply a drunkard, I ignored it. I subtly realized what was going on and didn't react. The young woman next to me probably also felt the elder touching her and was most likely shocked. Well, the elder blond woman started harassing the young woman. Saying things about millennials. It was so incredibly rude and unbecoming and beyond uncalled for. So be aware that there is alcohol at The Bellwether, that anyone with money can buy a ticket but that it does not buy boundaries, class or respect. There was a lot of entitlement out at that show. It was really strange and disturbing. I don't know if The Bellwether should have a set of signs with basic rules or not but it might be needed. It was not the only instance of that behavior. Happened with the guys behind me too. Insane behavior to have out in public. Overall, if the air conditioning had fully worked, I would have given The Bellweather a 5. Maybe best to go during the winter, if you have a choice. After the show, I took an UBER home and it was only $35. In general, a great value.

We showed up here for the first time last night to see an Oakland band we love play their first LA…read moreshow. Walking into the venue (which must be entered from a remote back alley) people just outside said to us "you're walking into a WEIRD vibe". We thought that meant "punk", and we weren't completely wrong- but we were promptly informed the lead singer of the first band had dislocated her knee and torn her ACL on the stage- it is not known whether the stage caused this but most said the singer was not doing anything crazy in terms of movement. The ambulance was called, and the people in charge were managing the situation to the absolute best of their ability but that poor lead singer was on stage incapacitated with people all around her giving her conflicting advice. This poor thing. They moved all the bands down to the floor level after the first band in order to mitigate the situation. There were some massive sound quality issues, the lights stayed on for the entirety our out-of-town friends set, which they still played like champions- the closing band even had the guys in charge of wandering on the stages behind them and even onto the stage with them, mid-set- (to fix issues I'm sure). I just felt so bad for everyone involved: the injured band, the fans who paid and had to wait a long time through delays, the bands that played after the incident (the band we saw had the lights on the entire set too), and the crew running the show who were clearly just doing their best given the circumstances. I will say it was a calm intimate venue when it all went down- everyone was trying to help, just a crazy first impression of The Smell for us.

The venue has always been marketed by word of mouth, and has always seemed like an exclusive place…read moreto find new artists. My impression from this was that the venue was somewhat better kept than what it was. I had a wonderful time seeing my friend's band perform, and they were absolutely fantastic. They delivered an amazing show, despite sound issues that persisted here and there throughout their set. The community the place brought out and together was also great and a huge plus to the whole night. But the thing that I cannot get over is how absolutely gross this venue is... I was so grossed out that it's actually the reason I had to write a review. I just took a shower, cleaned all the clothes I was wearing while there, and I still can't shake how gross I feel! I think the venue is a great size, great layout, great potential for the atmosphere... and hey, I get that it's summer and it's hot and all, but it was so damn hot, I took my shirt off, stripped only to my bra, and I could barely ignore the heat while trying to enjoy my friend's performance. People were moshing, as this was a punk show, and sweat droplets were flying everywhere.... I mean, it almost felt like I was standing in a shower (gag). Because of this, the whole place ended up just... smelling. Which, I guess, at least they weren't kidding with that name! You'll come across a lot of different smells in your time there, and leave with some new ones of your own (double gag). The bathrooms were... I'm sorry but just absolutely gross. I've seen a few other reviews saying it smells like urine outside... maybe cause it's more desirable to do your business in the alleyway than the bathrooms. There was a roach in one :( I enjoyed a lot about the venue, and I love the community that it attracts, but come on... can we keep it cleaner? And at least cool enough that people don't nearly faint from the lack of air flow? I'm so completely baffled at how this place seems so exclusive in terms of the artists it showcases, and then the venue itself is just genuinely nasty.

It was a great experience to going see a film or a show . The drinks was great to enjoyread more

Came here for the first time to see afroman perform and it was a fun time. Not overly packed, they…read morehave an upper loft area and a main floor area. Stuck around after since the show offered a meet and greet. They have a food bar connected with pizza and a bar. Parking in the area is mostly paid or if you get lucky street / meter parking